Scarlet Feather [Import] [Hardcover]

Maeve Binchy (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 501 pages
• Publisher: Orion; First Edition edition (2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0752838245
• ISBN-13: 978-0752838243
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.2 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (176 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,035,669 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Maeve Binchy is the author of numerous best-selling books, including Nights of Rain and Stars, Quentins, Scarlet Feather, Circle of Friends, and Tara Road, which was an Oprah's Book Club selection. She has written for Gourmet; O, The Oprah Magazine; Modern Maturity; and Good Housekeeping, among other publications. She and her husband, Gordon Snell, live in Dalkey, Ireland, and London.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Maeve Binchey at her best, November 24, 2000

By 

Mary G. Longorio "Texasbookgirl" (Eagle Mountain, UT) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Scarlet Feather (Hardcover)

Scarlet Feather is Maeve Binchey at her best. Following the lives of several residents in modern day Dublin and their various involvement with the Scarlet Feather catering business. Friends from school days, Tom and Cathy have invested their all in the catering business.....but friends, family, lovers, and the odd abandoned child or two, have a way of getting involved. This is Maeve Binchey at her best, weaving the everyday lives of various people of all classes and interest, into a seamless story. The language and the dialog ring true and carry the story along. The characters are allowed to be themselves,their good and bad characteristics and all their human frailties included. The story is character driven, and moves along at a good clip. Even though it is over 500 pages, it is a fast read, one you don't want to put down. Sadly, Ms. Binchey has announced this is her last novel. I, for one will miss her, and have added this book to my collection to read and reread. It was worth figuring out the monetary conversion to order this from amazon,uk.

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hungry? Scarlet Feather satisfies., April 27, 2001

By 

Dianna Johnston "Compulsive Reader" (Joplin, MO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Scarlet Feather (Hardcover)

As an avid Binchy fan, I could not let her newest addition go unread. While not as engaging or cozy as her others, I enjoyed every last page of Scarlet Feather, the novel which marks the beginning of Maeve Binchy's retirement.

Cathy Scarlet and Tom Feather, friends and former cooking school classmates, have embarked upon their dream -- owning and operating their very own catering business, aptly named Scarlet Feather. For an entire year, from one New Year's Eve to the next, readers get a glimpse into the lives of Cathy and Tom and all the happenings surrounding Scarlet Feather. And as usual, par to Maeve Binchy's excellent character derivation, we get to meet several fascinating individuals along the way. Ingredients include Muttie Scarlet, Cathy's father and compulsive gambler; Neil Mitchell, Cathy's husband and an exhaustive workaholic; Hannah Mitchell, Neil's mother and rich snob (think Dharma and Greg's Kitty Montgomery); and Simon and Maud, nine-year-old twins with very inquisitive minds. We also get an amble serving of Maeve's forte -- a story that delves into various characters' lives and how they relate to each other. Mix everything up in a great big bowl and you have one big heapin' helpin' of Irish goodness.

All Maeve Binchy veterans will need to read this book, if only to finish up the collection. If you are new to the wonderful world of Maeve, I suggest reading an older book first (Circle of Friends, The Glass Lake) because the content is much more indulging. Individually, Scarlet Feather is an easy read with lots of breaks in the story to ease the flow. Although I felt a little unattached in parts, I couldn't help but love this yummy smorgasbord.

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wont' disappoint Maeve Binchy fans, October 23, 2000

By 

Trudy Keenan - See all my reviews

This review is from: Scarlet Feather (Hardcover)

Scarlet Feather centres around Cathy and Tom - two friends who meet at catering college and their endeavours to set up their own catering business. As with other Maeve Binchy's novels, the story of the main characters is supported by a host of supporting friends, lovers, and family (some of which are familiar from Tara Road), with little subplot storylines based around the various characters. These include an indifferent husband, beautiful girlfriend with dreams of being a model, two homeless children (the children's statements are a delight) and the well off and not so well off family, all intertwined. Cathy's father, Muttie, is a great character, relying solely on his winnings from the horses as a means of income. And of course there is the imperious mother in law... but I won't spoil the characters by relaying any further information.

As the early reviewer has said the story is predictable but it is an entertaining read and Ms Binchy once again draws you into a web of everyday people, their ups and downs, their fortunes and misfortunes, in her entertaining and straightforward style. Although not her greatest novel, if you are a fan of Maeve Binchy I am sure you will enjoy the book.

As a footnote I was saddened to read that this will be Ms Binchy's last novel (from her interview on Amazon.co.uk) and that she will only be writing short stories from now on, so it fortunate that all her stories are a joy to read over and over.